Electric train-wire coupling



T. R. BROWN.

ELECTRIC TRAIN WIRE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NHL 5, I917.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

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PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. BROWN, OF SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIRBRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVAN IA.

Application filed March 6,

To all whom it may concern 30 it known that I, TllOMASiIi'. BnowN, ofbparkill, in the county of ltockland and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Train-VireCouplings, of which improvement the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to automatic coupling devices for electriccircuits between the cars of a train, and applies more particularly tothe type of coupling such as shown and described in my prior pendingapplication, Serial No. 135,916, filed December 8, 1916.

According to said prior construction, each coupler comprises a casingsupported at the end of the car, and having a plurality of contactsconnected to the respective car line circuits, said contacts beingformed with terminal stein portions yieldingly mounted and extendingoutside the casing to make a butt contact with the corresponding contactterminals of a counterpart coupler when the two are brought together inthe act of coupling. The yielding contact terminals are also given apartial rotary movement upon each other at the time that they arebrought together in order to maintain the contact surfaces clean andbright.

According to one of the features of my present improvement, the contactterminals are formed in separate parts, one connected to its car circuitwire and the other having an exposed end for making contact with aterminal of the counterpart coupler, said portions being forced intoengagement with each other when the cars are coupled, but adapted to beseparated when the couplers are uncoupled and pulled apart whereby theexposed ends of the contact terminals at the coupler face are notenergized when the couplers are separated, but only when broughttogether in coupling. Means are also provided for giving the outer stemportion of the contact terminal a partial rotation at the time that thesame is forced inward against the inner stem portion in the act ofcoupling, whereby both of the contact surfaces are kept clean.

In an electric coupling of the type having a plurality of contactslocated upon opposite sides of a vertical center line, it is necessarythat the car circuit wires at one side of one of the counterpartcouplers be connected to those at the opposite side of the Specificationof Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-WIRE COUPLING.

PHiGIIUNFAIIg'. 10, 1920.

1917. Serial No. 152,694.

adjacent coupler in order to preserve the continuity of the(iOI'I'tSl'NHNllIlQ circuits through the train, and in my priorconstruction above referred to, there is provided for this purpose, aswitch located between the coupler tern'iinals and the respectivecircuit wires at each end of each car. \Vhen the cars are uncoupled andseparated, these switches occupy an intermediate neutral or inoperativeposition, but when the cars are coupled together, one of these switchesis shifted to a position for directly connecting said circuits inparallel, while the other switch on the adjoining car is thrown to aposition in which the circuits on opposite sides of the center line arecross-connected, whereby the respective circuits are properly connectedthrough the train.

Another object of my present invention is to provide nnproved switchdevices for this purpose, whereby it will be necessary to shift only oneof the switches at the adjoin ing ends of the two cars when the same arecoupled up, instead of both of said switches, thereby eliminating one ofthe air line connections through the coupler.

These and other objects will now more fully appear from the followingdescription of a preferred construction embodying my improvement, andthe features of novelty will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing acoupler in horizontal section, and one of the electric switch devicespartly in section and partly in elevation; Fig. 2, a diagrammaticsection of the electric portion of the coupler, and the switch showingfour electric contacts and circuit connections; Fig. 3, a longitudinalsection of one of the divided contact terminals, on a larger scale; Fig.4, a transverse section of the electric switch; Fig. 5, a sectionshowing in detail, one of the switch contacts; and Fig. 6, adiagrammatic illustration of the contact points of one of said switches.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with electriccontact terminals which butt together in the act of coupling, and thesaid terminals of the cou pling may be supported in any suitable orconvenient manner at the end of the car. As shown in the drawing, theterminal contacts are mounted in the central portion of a coupler of therigid lock type, in which hit each counterpart coupler is provided withIll a projecting head portion, 5, having laterally inclined surfaces,said parts being adapted to engage each other by a lateral movement, andeach coupler having a. pivoted lock or cam lever, 6, for clampingagainst the head of the counterpart coupler and rigidly locking the twocouplers together in coupled position. The cam levers may be operated bysprings, 4, and pistons, 7, or otherwise, as desired.

The contact terminals of the electric coupler are mounted in a moldedblock of insulation, 3, in the head portion, 5, and, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 3, each ter-. minal is formed in separate parts,such as the inner stem portion, 18, electrically con nected to one ofthe leads, 3, of the car-line circuits, and the outer stem portion, 11,yieldingly mounted and having an exposed end, 10, extending outside ofthecasmg and adapted to engage a corresponding contact terminal of acounterpart coupler when the same are brought together in the act ofcoupling up the cars. When the couplers are forced together, the twostem portions, 11 and 18, of the terminal are in contact with eachother, and the electric connection through the coupler is established,but when the couplers are separated, the outer stem, 11, is movedoutward by means of its spring, 13, and out of contact with the innerstem, 18, so that the exposed end, 10, of the contact terminal is notenergized by the current. The inner end of the stem, 11, may be guidedin a block, 16, and be provided with a pin, 14, engaging a curved slot,15, in said block, whereby the longitudinal or yielding movement of thestem, 11, during the coupling and uncoupling movements operates toproduce a partial rotation or turning of said stem portion, 11, upon thecontacting members at both its ends, thus maintaining its contactsurfaces bright and clean. The stem portion, 18, may also be yieldinglymounted in a guide block, 17, and be connected by a spring, 19, with theplug, 9, attached to the lead, 2, of one of the car circuits.

According to another feature of my invention, I provide an improvedswitch device for connecting the contact terminals with the respectivecar line circuits either directly in parallel, or with across-connection, and have shown one form of such" switch comprising acasing, 21, containing a piston, 20, on which are mounted, in suitableinsulation, two sets of contact bars, A, A, etc, and A A etc., the firstset being directly connected in parallel, and the other set beingcross-connected, as clearly indicated in Fig. 6. In the cylindricalcasing are mounted the set of contacts, A connected by the respectiveleads, 3, with the corresponding contact terminals, 10, of the coupler,and another set of contacts, A connected to the nae-egos respectiveleads, 2, oi the car line circuits. These contacts may be provided withsprings, A as indicated in Fig. 5, and are properly located so that inone of the operative positions of the switch piston, 20, the contacts,A, register with contacts, A and A, and connect the circuits inparallel; but when shifted to the other operative position, thecontacts, A register with contacts, A and A and the circuits arecross-connected, as will be readily understood.

A spring, 22, normally holds the piston, 20, and movable portion of theswitch at its intermediate operative position, in which the circuits areconnected, for instance, in the parallel relation, when the couplers areseparated, said spring acting to oppose the movement of the switch toits inoperative position, in which the circuits are open.

The movement of the piston is controlled I by a manually operated valve,31, in casing,

30, having pipe connections, 37 and 38, leading to opposite ends of thepiston chamber, a supply pipe, 36, and exhaust port, 35, the valve beingprovided with ports, 32 and 33, for cooperating with the ports in thecasing. Pipe, 39, leads from the piston chamber to the passage, 42, ofthe coupler head, and communicates with the corresponding passage of thecounterpart coupler by means of the hollow tappet connections, 43, whenthe two coupler heads are brought together. The tappet may also beattached to the valve, 44, for controlling communication throughpassage, 48, with the chamber of the piston valve, 47, of train pipepassage, 46.

When the couplers are separated, the switch piston, 20, occupies thenormal intermediate operative position, as shown in the drawings, inwhich the circuits are connected in a certain relation, as for instance,in parallel, and as both pistons of two counterpart couplers occupy thesame normal position when the couplers are brought together in the actof coupling, it is necessary to shift only one of said pistons andswitches to the other operative position in which the circuits arecross-connected. To accomplish this, either one of the valves, 31, maybe turned to the position for supplying fluid to pipe, 37, and therebymove one of the pistons, 31, away from spring, 22, and to its positionat the end of its cylinder in which the switch establishes across-connection of the circuits as previously explained. There is nomovement of the switch on the other car at this time, and the circuitsremain in this relation during the running period.

When it is desired to uncouple and separate the cars, the valve 31, oneither one of the cars, is turned to the opposite position for supplyingfluid from pipe, 36; through port, 32, to pipe, 38, leading to the opp0-site end of the cylinder. The switch piston, 20, is then moved to theopposite end of its stroke, the position in which the spring iscompressed and the circuits are disconnected, commuuicalion also beingopen to the pipe, 35 and through the hollow tappets of the coupler tothe cylinder of the corresponding switch on the other car,

\vherelrv both switches are thrown to thisextreme inoperative positionwith the circuits open. The check valve, 40, prevents the llow of air tothe pipe, 35), until the piston has moved out to its extreme positionand uncovered the .port leading to the pipe, 39. Fluid may also flow atthe same time through branch pipe connec tions or passages to thepneumatic parts of the coupler head for closing the train pipe valvesand releasing the coupler locks. The air supply from the operatingvalve, 30, to the switch cylinder, 21, and the coupler, is so arrangedthat the switch will be operated before the locks of the coupler arereleased, thereby preventing a parting of the couplers until theelectric circuits are broken, consequently at that time there will be noelectric current in any part of the electric portion of the coupler. Thecouplers are then pulled apart, and all the circuits are thenautomatially broken in the coupler head by reason of the outer portion,11, of each contact terminal being moved away from the inner portion,18, as before described. As soon as the cars are uncoupled, theoperating handle of valve, 30, may be moved to neutral position,whereupon the air sup plied to the various portions of the coupler willbe released to the atmosphere, and the springs, 22, operate to returnthe pistons, 20, to the normal position. In the neutral position of thevalve, 31, the cavity, 33, connects both the pipes, 37 and 38, with theexhaust port, 85, for releasing to the atmosphere. The exhaustconnection with pipe, 38, is, however, restricted at 34, in order toprevent a tree exhaust to the atmosphere of air admitted from the valveon the opposite car when turned to uncoupling position. This insures therelease action. of both pistons, 20, even though there is a smallleakage of air through the restricted exhaust port, 34:.

A hand lever, 50, having a geared segment, 51, engaging a rack, 52, onthe under side of piston, 20, may be employed for manually actuating theswitch piston 20, to the extreme uncoupling position against thepressure of the spring, 22, when it is desired to open the circuits tothe coupler without going through the process of uncoupling the cars. Alug, 53, may be provided on the casing for holding the lever in itsuncoupling position against the force of the spring, if desired.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing, a contactterminal comprising an inner stem portion mounted in the casing andelectrically connected to a train wire, and an outer stem portionmovably mounted in said casing and having an exposed end adapted to bedepressed by engagement with a corresponding contact stem of acounterpart coupler, and means operated by the coming together ofthecouplers for producing a partial rotary movement of said outer stem.

2. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing, a contactterminal comprising two separate stem portions mounted in said casing,one stem being connected to a train wire and the other having an exposedend for engaging a corresponding terminal of a counterpart coupler, andmeans operated by the coming together of the couplers for bringing saidstem portions into contact with each other and producing a partialrotary movement of the outer portion.

3. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing, a contactterminal comprising two separate stem portions mounted in said casing,one stem being connected to a train wire and the other having an exposedend for engaging a corresponding terminal of a counterpart coupler, aspring for sepa rating said stem portions when the couplers areseparated, and means for producing a partial rotary movement of theouter stem portion during the act of coupling.

at. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality ofcontact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits andadapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of acounterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch betweensaid contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch havingone operative position for directly connecting said circuits inparallel, and another operative position for cross-connecting saidcircuits, means for normally holding said switch in one of saidoperative positions, and means for shifting the switch of one of thecouplers to the other operative position when the cars are coupledtogether.

5. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality ofcontact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits andadapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of acounterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch betweensaid contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch havingone operative position for directly connecting said circuits inparallel, and another operative position for crossconnecting saidcircuits, means for normally holding said switch in one of said0perative positions, a piston for said switch,

and a valve for supplying fluid to said piston to shift said switch tothe opposite operative position.

(5. in an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality ofcontact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits andadapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of acounterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch betweensaid contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch havingone operative position for directly connecting said circuits inparallel, and another operative position for cross-connecting saidcircuits, a spring acting on said switch to move the same from aninoperative position to one of said operative positions, and means forshifting said switch to the opposite operative position.

7. in an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality ofcontact ten minals connected to the respective car line circuits andadapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of acounterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch betweensaid contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch havingone operative position for directly connecting said circuits inparallel, another operative position for crossconnecting said circuits,and a third inoperative position, a piston for said switch, a valve andconnections for supplying fluid to said piston to shift said switch tothe inoperative position for uncoupling, and a spring for opposing suchmovement of the switch to the inoperative position.

8. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality ofcontact tcrminals connected to the respective car line circuits and.adapted to be electrically connected with corresponding contacts of acounterpart coupler when the cars are coupled together, a switch betweensaid contact terminals and the circuits of each car, said switch havingone operative position for directly connecting said circuits inparallel, and another operative position for crossconnecting saidcircuits, a handle for shitting said switch to an inoperative position.

and a spring opposin said movement.

THGMAS R. BROWN.

